Matcha is Japan's oldest tea, brought back to Kyoto (Uji) by Buddhist monks inthe 9th century after visiting China's Jin Chan monastery. Today the highestgrade of matcha is still harvested there in the ancient tea gardens in Uji, wheremost all of Japan's other highest grades of tea are also grown.

Matcha is a powdered teamade from shade-growntencha leaves. About three weeks before harvesting, the tencha leaves are shaded over to boost the chlorophyll, amino acids, and other flavor compounds.

Immediately after harvesting the leaves are steam fixed, cut, and then air dried instead of being rolled and fired like most other Japanese teas. This gives the leaves a fresh, clean, pure vegetal flavor with- out any of the roasted flavors fired teas have.

Once dried the tencha leaf is then stone- milled into fine, bright, emerald green matcha powder. In the shiny, state-of-the-art factor-

ies, row upon row of millstones grind away, each producing about two ounces of matcha powdered tea an hour.

There are several grade levels of matcha tea. The top or best grade is called koicha or "thick tea," made from the finest shade grown spring tencha leaves harvested in Uji. This grade of matcha or koicha is the most expensive and is reserved for teaceremonies or Chado.

The next level of matcha produced is called usucha or "thin tea." This grade of matcha or usucha is less expensive, making it more affordable for everyday use.

A third grade is also produced. Called commercial grade matcha, it's used in baking to add color and flavor to cakes and cookies, ice cream, lattes, and other green tea flavorings. (Visit Mighty Leaf Tea's Matcha Store where you'll find all the tools to properly prepare matcha tea as well asgreen tea latte and frappe. Be your ownbarista with their green tea frappe and lattestarter kit. Click the MLT link below right andgo to their Matcha Shop--

Just as with Japan's most popular everydaytea, sencha, the demand for matcha is nowexceeding supply, so that China is now pro-ducing some in an unusual reversal of his-tory, as matcha is what Buddhist monksbrought back with them to Kyoto in the 9thcentury. Up until today, China hadn't pro- duced powdered tea since the end of the Ming dynasty in 1644.

After the monks began cultivating the tea brought back by them from China in the 9th century, the matcha they made was exclusively for their use and royalty only. Some eventually made its way to the noble warrior class, or samuri.

By the 1550's, Sen Rikku, a Japanese tea master codified the practice of Chado (which translates to the "Way of Tea"), a form of religious observation or tea ceremony.

With the influence of Taoism as well as Zen Buddhism, Sen Rikku ritualized the tea service and ceremony as a way of bringing attention to everyday objects. By emphasizing the proper tools and gestures used whenbrewing and serving tea, as well as the correct arrangement and architecture of the teahouse, Rikku encouraged followers to concentrate on the three elements of tea preparation and drinking: water, fire, and the tea leaf.

After Rikku's death, his three grandsons developed their own schools teaching chado-Urasenke, Omotesenke, and Mushanokojisenke, which still exist today, an amazing six- teen generations later.

Matcha tea has an intense flavor, like no other tea you have ever tasted. It's thick and frothy with a smooth, veg- etal flavor, with a bitter kick that's immediately balanced out by a sweet aftertaste, that lingers in the back of your mouth.

Because the tencha leaves it's made from are air dried rather thanroasted, you get only the pure unadulterated taste of the leaf.

With matcha tea the entire leaf is consumed, rather than just an infusion, so you're getting 100% of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, so it's beyond healthy.

Along with gyokuro, which is also a shade grown tea, matcha is one of Japan's most expensive teas. Prices vary according to grade, but even the commercial grade is up there.

Just to give you some "ball park" figures, a half ounce of commercial grade matcha can

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start at $14 up to $40+. For second level usucha matcha for everyday drinking starts at around $40 for a half ounce on up to $80 plus. And for ceremonial grade koicha matcha, or best grade, you're looking at $80 and up for half an ounce, or 20 grams. Enjoy.